Mahou-Tsukai Background rules
Mahou-Tsukai Background Characters from the Mahou-Tsukai background are part of an ancient and illustrious organization which predates the Empire and most of which is outside the direct control of the Imperial authorities, due to the lack of understanding of the way this magic truly works. Miracle workers, Mahou-Tsukai are able to bend the elements and spirits to their will to perform feats that defy logic and scientific explanation, and even careful study of the concepts behind this magic has yet to yield results for the Onmyouji, who have started adapting it to their own need. Members of the Warrior caste, Bureaucrats and Monks that are found with this ability from a young age are rapidly gathered and sent for training in specialized schools throughout the Empire to learn to control and master their abilities. If someone from the lower castes is found with these abilities at a young enough age, they are often given a rapid bump in their place in the Celestial Order and sent to a school, hopefully before their abilites have developped enough to become dangerous. Untrained Mahou-Tsukai often fall prey to demons and faeries, who either kill them and devour their soul or that train them in their own way of magic and warp their mind, often causing great damage to the Empire. The ability to use magic is not hereditary or inherited and the exact process as to whom can use these powers is not clearly understood, even after 2000 years of study by the Ministry of Astrology. Mahou-Tsukai have their own code of honor, but many of them also join monastic orders or the Bureaucracy after their graduation. Mahou-Tsukai do not have access to Weapon Packages, and must learn to fight with specific weapons individually. There are multiple spells which emulate weapons, however, so if you manage to learn these particular invocations, you might not have to train in a particular weapon, unless you want to be able to take advantage of Mastery Abilities, which can be learned through Emphasis normally. Mahou-Tsukais can learn Kiho of a mastery level equal to their Associated Ring, unlike a Monk which can learn them at Ring + Insight Rank mastery, but cannot learn Special techniques or Katas. Mahou-Tsukai backgrounds are built around mastery of a specific school of magic. You cannot move to a new school of magic without first mastering your original school (reaching Insight Rank 5). Certain school also are part of the Onmyou background, this must be selected at the creation of your character. The Schools of Sorcery: The Armor of the Soul : This school of magic focuses mainly on protection and often serve as bodyguards to important nobles and dignitaries, defending both their body, mind and souls from assaults The Ordo Malleus : The Hammer of the Witch is the Inquisition of the Mahou-Tsukai, a strange combination of Secret Police and sorcerous powers. The Alchemist Order / The Artificers Guild : Specialist in the creation of magical tools, especially draughts and potions, the Alchemist order is one of the most visible of all schools of sorcery. The Warmage : Magic is a mean to an end, and often this end is destruction of your enemies. Warmages are trained to manipulate the destructive elemental energies as an art form to crush the enemies of the Empire. Amaterasu's Chosen : Amaterasu, Goddess of the Sun, is an important figure for almost all the citizens of the Empire, regulating seasons, agriculture and many other factors. While the Chosen are a very small order of mages, their presence usually reassures the locals. Tsukiyomi's Chosen : The Moon, as with the Sun, is key to the lives of the Imperial citizens, controlling the tides and making sure the months are well regulated. Another small order, they are popular with the lower classes. Voidmasters : The "4 Elements" theory was discredited by the Voidmasters early in the Imperial history, as those magicians were able to shape raw energy as well as matter. While they are non-sensical for the more scientifically minded, many Onmyou have taken a liking to them due to their particular skill. The Fox's Acolytes : One of the most devious spirit that always plagued the Empire were the Kitsune, the fox-women who do everything to take control of men with their beauty and style. A few of them were able to put aside their personal desires to help miracle workers develop their own form of illusionnary magic. Wanderer's Aid : Magic can grant many things, even the ability to cover large distances in a short period of time and even flight is possible if necessary, which led to the creation of this magic school. Underground movements Underground movements are non-mainstream sorcery schools, most of them not even being recognized as full schools by the Imperial bureaucracy. Most of these schools have very specific focus which makes them not likely to be "as useful" to the Empire as a whole, but in the hands of a careful miracle worker, those can make wonders. The Communicators : The transmission of knowledge over long distances is one of the greatest advantage of the Mikado and his closest acolytes, but the school of the Communicators have managed to replicate their technology with their magic. Ministry of Magic : As official as it could ever be, the Ministry of Magic serves the Imperial bureaucracy in secret, regulating and controlling magic usage throughout the Empire. Extermination Squad : Spirits, demons and other creatures often cause problems to the people of the Empire and even dedicated monks and onmyou cannot be in all places at all times. In reaction to this, this school was created to train miracle workers in the destruction of supernatural creatures. The Ancient Order : The actual history of the Empire always says that magic was unknown to the Mikado and his allies when they began their conquest of the Empire, but whispers of an ancient group of magicians that had accompanied the Mikado's army, making sure that he would survive to take his rightful place as the leader of the Empire... Category:L5R Rule conversion Category:Ruleset Category:Mahou-Tsukai Alternate sorcery methods Category:L5R Rule conversion Category:Ruleset Category:Mahou-Tsukai